Wall plug protector



March 1 3, 1956 W. H. BEACH WALL PLUG PROTECTOR Filed July 22, 1953 INVENTOR. WILLIAM H. BEACH ATTORNEY United States Patent() WALL PLUG PROTECTOR William Henry Beach, Columbus, Ohio Application July 22, 1953, Serial No. 369,698 1 claim. (Cl. 339-36) The invention disclosed in this application relates to building construction and is illustrated in an embodiment disclosing a Wall plug protector for the protection of electrical outlets. The basic idea is the protection of electric light outlets from interference, and especially for protecting children from injury while playing with outlets and/or with the plugs connected thereto. The idea of protecting such outlets is disclosed in the prior art. However, a simple device for protecting such outlets, such as is disclosed in this application, has not to my knowledge previously been disclosed.

It is well known that such household articles as electrical outlet plug receptacles rattract children and especially children of tender years when they are crawling or playing about on the lloor. As a general practice, outlet receptacles are mounted on the wall just above the baseboar-d. This is because such locations seem to be most convenient for plugging in the cords of such household electrical appliances as vacuum cleaners, oor lamps, etc. Being so located, these receptacles are easily reached by small children, and as -a consequence, children often place toys, miscellaneous metal elements, etc. therein. This often causes the fouling of or damage to the electrical elements of the receptacle and necessitates the repair or replacement thereof. Sometimes it even causes a'shock to the child at the time of such insertion. Sometimes it causes a shock to other people who later connect an electric cord plug with the outlet receptacle.

it is therefore now the object of this invention to provide an electrical outlet receptacle that is substantially inaccessible to children, readily accessible to adults, and is eiectively protected against being fouled or damaged and which at the same time is not at all unsightly and may be conveniently installed or located in the wall at any desired elevation.

lt is a further object of my invention to prepare a simple guard which can be secured to the conventional outlet plug plate with very little diculty and by any householder and which will protect the device and people from electrical shock. it is important that such a device not require a special installation, and not interfere with the electrical connection. It is important that it merely provides a guard which may be attached to any standard electrical outlet and plug, and use a conventional wall and plug socket.

Further objects and features of my invention will 'be apparent from the subjoined .specilication and claims when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate an embodiment of my invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a phantom View of a wall ysocket to which is attached a guard or protector constructed according to my invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of the guard of Fig. 1 showing the front frame with the removable plate removed therefrom;

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Fig. 3 is va view in end elevation of the and 2;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the removable plate which normally closes the front of the guard; and

Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation of the plate of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings for a detailed description of my invention, it may be seen that I have shown a conventional wall socket 11 having double receptacles 12 and 13. The front plate 14 of the wall socket 11 is secured to the wall by a screw 15. The guard proper is designated 16 and consists of a rectangular box having some of the sides open. The box is preferably made of plastic although it can be made of metal or other suitable material. The 'sides 17, 15 and 19 are substantially imperforate, but the side Z'i which faces the wall socket 11 consists merely of a ange or rim 21 which tits under the plate 14 of the wall socket and is held securely in place by the plate 14 when it is fastened by the screw 15. The front is similar to the back i9 and consists mainly of a frame 22. Secured to this frame is a removable closure consisting ot' a plate 23 which is shown more clearly in Figs. 4 and 5. The frame 22, however, includes in addition to a peripheral ange rim, a crossbar 24 for purposes which will ybe described. The side 26 which, as shown in the drawing, is the bottom of the box, but if desired, may be on either side, may be as shown entirely open or may be substantiaily open for purposes which will be obvious. l prefer that this opening be at the bottom.

The closure plate is provided with offset extensions 27, 2S, 29 and by which it is secured to the frame 22, the extensions and 3l) passing under the crossbar 24, and the extensions 27 and 29 passing under the end crosspiece of the frame 22.

T he operation of the embodiment of my invention will, it is believed, be clear. The screw 15 is loosened so that the plug receptacle plate 14 is loosened slightly from the wall, the rim 21 at the back of the guard is slipped down over and under the front plate 14, and the screw 15 is tightened through the opened front of the guard. The closure plate is then slipped down over the face of the iront of the guard. Thus the oulets are completely protected from unauthorized and accidental contacts by children, ete. When it is desired to connect an electric fixture, the closure plate 23 is removed, the plug end of the cord is passed upward through the opening at the end or bottom 26 of the guard, and a plug such as the plug designated as 31 carrying the electrical cord 32 is secured in the appropriate receptacle such as, for example, 13. The closure plate 23 is then reinserted and the plug as well as the outlets are completely protected. At the same time, the cord 32 extends out from the 4bottom of the kbox and may be used as desired.

The above described embodiment of my invention is for the purpose of illustration only and various changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

For use with an electrical plug receptacle which is mounted on a 'building wall and which is provided with youtlet plug connectors, a iinishing plate, and a screw holding said iinishing plate substantially fiush with said connectors and said wall; a guard comprising a substantially rectangular bex and a removable closure plate, said rect-angular box having the front, rear and bottom substantially open and having the other three walls substantially imperforate, `the rear wall of said box having a peripheral ilange extending around a plurality of the sides thereof which flange is positioned under and thus cooperates with said finishing plate for securing the guard to the plug receptacle, the front wall of said guard having a peripheral liange rim and an intermediate cross bar,

guard of Figs. 1

pass -under--the vrearside -of-said peripheral -ange and behind said intermediate cross bar for lholding said remoyableclosure plate tothe rectanguar box.

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4lariefererices" (fited inthe le of this patent UNITEPSTATES PAIENS 1,610,479 soit Dec. i4, 1926 i Edwards Apr. 21, 1936 Heise et a1, May 9, 1939 Monaco Feb. 11, 1947 Leo-poid Feb. 22, 1949 Sopher Nov. 15, 1949 Kilgore June 6, 1950 Gregg Oct. 17, 1950 

